Fluid-elevator.



F. C. DEEMER.

FLUID ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17. 1914.

Patented pt. 14, 1915.

FRANK G. DEEMER, OF BROOKVILLE, PENNSYLV FLUID-ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented S ept. 11, 1915.

Application filed March 17, 1914. 1 Serial No. 825,262.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. DEEMER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Brookville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Pennsylvania, have 1nvented certain 'new and useful Improvements in F luid-Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in fluid elevators, and particularly that class known as aerated columns.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means by which oil, water, or other liquids may be lifted through a pipe, by means of motive fluid pressure, so that when applied for instance to an oil well, the oil may be lifted from the well by means of either natural gas pressure within the well casing or by means of compressed air or other motive fluid pressure introduced into the casing from a suitable supply.

The invention consists essentially in providing an eduction pipe or delivery tube for the liquid which is provided with means throughout its length for creating within the tube a column of liquid which is divided into distinctive and separate strata or sections of liquid in order that the solid column may be broken for the purpose of introducing fluid pressure to each of the sections of the strata of the columns independently, in order that the entire column may be elevated, as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention, and a modified form thereof, constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an 'oil well casing showing the eduction pipe or delivery tube in full, and illustrating the physical application of my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional elevation of one of the ejector couplings forming a part of the eduction tube. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modified form of the ejector.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the usual casing l is employed, and as this is the typical or conventional design and of usual construction, I have illustrated it as merely a tubular member in which the eduction pipe or delivery tube 2 is inclosed. The casing 1, of course, is air tight and that is provided with a head 3 screwed on its upper open end, and a stufling box4 is provided where an eduction pipe 2 passes through the head 3, above the surface of the ground. It is assumed that the casing 1 extends down into the ground the usual depth for deep oil or other wells, and no attempt has been made to illustrate the details of construction of the casing.

The eduction pipe 2 is provided at its lower end with its usual strainer 5, and the upwardly opening check valve 6, and a controlling valve 7 is illustrated on the eduction pipe just above the head 3 of the casing.

A compressed air or gas pipe 8 having a controlling valve 9 enters the casing 1 near its outer end, and may, when desired, furnish a motive fluid to the interior of the casing from a suitable source of supply. It will be understood, however, that the natural gas pressure accumulated in the casing 1 may be availed of and be used when desirable, but when required the compressed air or gas pipe 8 will be used to feed motive fluid pressure to the interior of the casing.

Throughout the entire length of the eduction pipe I provide, at frequent intervals, a coupling member or ejector casing indicated as a whole by the numeral 10. These ejector casings provide valve couplings for the lengths of the pipe of the delivery tube or eduction pipe, and although I have illustrated only four of them, as a matterof illustration, it will be understood, of course, that this number is merely typical, and that in actual practice the number of ejector casings will be determined by the depth of the oil well, and other circumstances. The ejector casing 10 comprises a barrel l1, screw threaded at its open lower end to accommodate the open head 12, which is threaded at 13 for attachment of the eduction pipe 2, and has a valve seat 14 bored therein for the check valve 15, which is adapted to close said seat. This check valve, as will be seen, is adapted to open upward, and its stem 16 is guided in the ring or sleeve 17 of the spider 18 integral with the head 12.

The barrel 11 is threaded at 19 for eduction pipe 2, and at one side of the barrel a tangentially arranged passage 20 is provided by the outwardly flaring integral wall 21 which, at its lower open end, is cylindrical in cross section and interiorly threaded to receive a nut 22, which is provided with a valve seat 23 and opening 24. This valve seat and opening are closed by a vertically 5 movable upwardly opening check valve 25 whose stem 26 is guided in a ring or sleeve '27 of the spider 28. It will be noted that the area of the passage from the opening 2 f to the restricted neck 20, decreases toward the restricted opening 20, and that motive fluid pressure which is suflicient to lift the valve 25, will pass through the valve seat opening, and thence through the restricted passage 20. The decreasing area of this passage will cause a concentration of the fluid pressure, and when the motive fluid is ejected through the restricted passage within to the interior of the eduction pipe 2, the pressure will be suflicient to lift the fluid 2 within the eduction pipe.

Assuming that the liquid enters the eduction pipe through the strainer at the lower end of the pipe, it is lifted by pressure upon the surface of the liquid in the casing through the first ejector casing 10, and is then lifted successively through the sections of the eduction pipe. If some of the ejector casings at the lower end of the eduction pipe are submerged in the liquid, the liquid will also be fed past the check valves 25. The ejector casings 10 which are not submerged in the liquid, provide additional and auxiliary gas pressure, if gas is present under pressure in the casing, or, compressed air may pass through the ejector casings if the casing 1 is filled with compressed air. In either event the motive fluid pressure will be sufiicient to lift the check valve-25, and the motive fluid pressure will pass through the restricted opening 20 and bear upon and lift the short column of liquid, or strata of liquid, that stands between the adjoining ejector casings. The pressure applied below the check valves 15, and below the check valves 25 is sufficient to lift the column of liquid in the section above these two valves, and in this manner the successive superposed valves are lifted one after the other and the column of liquid which is made up of separate and distinct strata or sections is thus lifted through the check valves 15 and out through the upper open end of the eduction pipe2.

In using the ejectors, it will be understood that the a gregate area of the restricted passages 20 o the ejector 10 remains in all cases at less than fifty per cent. of the discharge capacity of the eduction pipe 2.

In some instances it is desirable that a pipe 29 be employed, to introduce a cleansing liquid under pressure, to be passed through the eduction pipe from the lower open end up through its entire length and out at the upper opening. This pipe is provided with a downwardly opening check valve 30 and has a controlling valve 31, and if occasion arises this pipe may be used to prime the eduction pipe, and by suction thus created start the flow of the liquid from the well up through the eduction pipe 2.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a modification of the ejector, in which two check valves 15 are used, one immediately above and the other one just below the opening of the passage 20 into the eduction pipe. In some in- 715 stances the use of a pair of these check valves is desired, and I contemplate using the check valves in this manner. In creating the flow of liquid from the eduction pipe 2, it is sometimes necessary that the so control valve 7 be alternately opened and closed, and this may be accomplished either manually, or automatic machine actuated means may be employed if desired. In either event it is necessary to hold the valve closed for an interval of time until the pressure within each section, under this stratum, is sufficient to lift the stratum of liquid from one section into the next section above. When the pressure is sufiicient-to lift the liquid, the valve is then opened, and the liquid in the pipe sections is lifted to the next section above, then when the valve is again closed the pressure is again accumulated until sufficient to again=lift the sections of strata of liquid, and the valve is thus alternately opened and closed to produce a flow of the liquid through the eduction pipe. However, it will be understood, of course, that the motive fluid pressure within the casing 1 can be of sufficient capacity to cause a continuous flow or stream of liquid through the eduction pipe, and the location of the check valves in the eduction pipe serves to break the otherwise solid column of liquid into small strata or sections, and instead of lifting an entire single solid column of liquid as has been heretofore, attempted, the actual operation of my lifting device is to lift a plurality of independent strata of liquid each of which is provided with its own independent motive fluid pressure for this purpose.

I claim that my system will bring fluid from a. deeper depth with less pressure than any other known method. That it will lift from the bottom by simply applying pressure on the surface of the liquid in a sufficient amount to raise the liquid above the first check valve where it will then be lifted in even stages or distances to the top by an operation of opening and closing the valve on the top. That it will operate with its own natural gas pressure in lifting liquid from the wells where the gas is prevalent. That it will thus act in accord with the Conservation Committee of Natural Resources of the United States in preserving and saving valuable natural gas inasmuch as the waste will be reduced to a minimum. That it can be shut in instantly, stopped, and operated at will and the lift gained will not be lost.

Having thus fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: r

1. The combination with an injector casing having a check valve in its lower open end, the side Wall of said casing having an extension with a restricted passage opening into the casing, and a check valve in the lower open end of said extension.

2. The combination with a fluid pressure casing and a liquid eduction pipe therein, of

injectors forming part of the eduction pipe having check valves for dividing a column of contained liquid into separate sections, and an extension to each injector having an opening providing communication for the admission of motive fluid from the casing to each injector, and a check valve in each extension.

In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK G. DEEMER.

Witnesses:

M. L. NnWooMB, ARTHUR B. STEWART. 

